Can cameras help my nursing home abuse complaint?

When you place a loved one in a nursing home, you put your trust in the facility to care for them properly. Unfortunately, you cannot keep your eye on them 24/7 and some workers and facilities take advantage of this fact to commit acts of nursing home abuse and neglect.

Camera law proposed to Ohio House committee

A bill has been proposed to the Ohio House Families, Aging and Human Services Committee that would permit cameras to lawfully be placed in a nursing home resident’s room. The resident’s loved ones and roommate must consent to the placement of cameras in the room. Referred to as “Ester’s Law,” Senate Bill 58 was developed after the abuse of an elderly nursing home resident was caught on a hidden camera placed in her room by her son.

SB 58 has already been approved by the Ohio Senate. Senator Brenner, one of the sponsors of SB 58, testified that there were 15,000 cases of abuse, neglect and exploitation of seniors in Ohio from 2017 to 2018 alone. Two more hearings need to be held before SB 58 can be sent to the Ohio House for approval. If approved, it will advance to the Governor’s desk for a signature.
What should I do if I have a nursing home abuse complaint?

If you believe a loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse, you will likely want to know what your options are for holding the nursing home responsible. One option you may want to consider is filing a complaint with the Complaint Unit of the Ohio Bureau of Survey and Certification. This agency processes and investigates complaints against nursing homes, specifically complaints regarding the alleged noncompliance with state and/or federal rules and regulations. Complaints are kept private. A computer program is used to process the complaint from initial contact through close-out. Camera footage that helps document your concern and the resident at issue may be a helpful component of your complaint.
Learn more about nursing home abuse and neglect

Ultimately, acts of nursing home abuse need to be identified and acted upon, so the responsible parties can be held accountable. By understanding more about your loved one’s rights as a nursing home resident and about a nursing home’s responsibilities to residents can go a long way should problems arise.